


In High Demand

by romanticalgirl



Series: Supply & Demand [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, M/M, Non-Serum Steve Rogers, Office Supplies, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 20:24:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20264026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanticalgirl/pseuds/romanticalgirl
Summary: It all started with a Post-It note





	In High Demand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mizface](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizface/gifts).

_buy milk_

Bucky looks at the note, his head tilted. He’d swear the note hadn’t been there when he went to bed, but it’s there. That same virulent pink that Steve had drawn his picture on. He opens the fridge and is, indeed, out of milk.

As far as he knows, Steve never went into the kitchen, much less opened the refrigerator door before he left last night. In fact, he’s fairly certain that Steve came in the front door, got pushed against said door, wrapped his legs around Bucky, got carried over to the couch for an epic make-out session that left them both hard and panting, then went home, wondering if his boner could be seen from space or if the Uber guy wouldn’t notice.

Bucky shrugs, pours his coffee and drinks it – sans milk – before walking back to his bedroom to get dressed and go to work.

**

_buy cat food_

_I don’t have a cat, Steve_

_there’s a stray_

_and he will stay a stray if I don’t feed him_

There’s a second Post-It note underneath the first. This time it’s day-glo green. It’s also stolen from Marianne in accounting’s desk, because Steve doesn’t believe in going to the supply room and getting his own when he can pick a lock and make Marianne wonder where her Post-Its are going. It didn’t take long for Bucky to realize that Steve Rogers is a little shit.

It’s part of what he really likes about him.

_you’re heartless and cruel_

_not buying cat food_

Bucky no longer questions Steve’s stealth ability to leave notes around the apartment. He never sees Steve with a Post-It note. Never sees him writing on the ones already there. And yet, even though they spend the bulk of their free time together, rather than talking to him about stuff, Steve prefers to leave him notes.

It’s been two months, off and on, that they’ve been dating. Between Bucky’s job and… well, no. Just because of Bucky’s job, they don’t get to spend a significant amount of time together and, for some reason Bucky doesn’t pretend to understand, they’ve mutually agreed to take it slow.

Which means more gasping, sweaty, rutting making-out, and then Steve going home, leaving Bucky to jerk off like he just discovered his own dick.

He buys cat food.

**

♥

_uh oh. what do you want now? not adopting any more animals_

_I can’t just tell you that I ♥ you?_

_No._

_But what if I do_

_If you tell me you love me via post-it, I am going to kick your ass_

They’re on orange this time, and Bucky wonders how many more of these eye-searing colors there are.

_I am small and defenseless._

_Bullshit_

_If I say it to your face can I use a Post-It note after?_

_How can you know you ♥ me? We haven’t even had sex_

_Sex =/= ♥ _

They’re at the third note already, and Bucky, for reasons he doesn’t understand, lifts them up higher so the current one is easier for both of them to reach.

_we could have both_

_You're trying to seduce me, Mrs Robinson, aren’t you_

_Well, feeling you up on the couch and begging you to let me suck your dick hasn’t worked_

_You haven’t begged_

_You haven’t been paying attention._

The next time Bucky sees Steve, he’s waiting outside his door. Once it’s unlocked, steve shoves him inside, closes the door and leans against it. Holding Bucky’s gaze, Steve reaches down and unfastens his khakis and pushes them down his legs, easing his cock out of his underwear.

Bucky groans and sinks to his knees.

**

_how can you not have condoms?_

_I had one_

_One. One, steve_

_You passed out._

_Id gotten back from a 10 hour flight. I wanted one in the morning._

_I had to work._

_You’re the worst boyfriend ever._

They’re on some sort of lavender color now. Apparently all the pastels live at Steve’s place.

_I’m your favorite boyfriend._

_You’re my only boyfriend._

_Thereby, through process of elimination, I’m your favorite._

_Someone from my past might be my favorite._

_*gasp*! You had others before me?_

This conversation is likely to take a good four notes.

_you really think I’d be as good as I am if I was a novice?_

_So basically you dicked around a lot before you met me._

_I dick around with you a lot._

_And they say romance is dead._

_Speaking of. Fury’s got me going out of town for a week._

_Fury’s a dick._

Bucky can’t really argue with that one.

_I’ll miss the hell out of you._

_Same. And I promise I’ll have condoms when you come home._

_You’d better. Or else._

_Or else what?_

_I don’t know yet. But I’ll think of something_

**

Bucky looks at his fridge and frowns. There isn’t a note on there. He glances back at the bedroom and, through the door, he can see Steve sprawled out on the bed, arms and legs starfished like Bucky wasn’t just curled up with him two minutes ago. Asshole. Obviously Bucky’s not going back to bed.

He sighs, looks at the fridge then back at Steve then at the fridge again. There’s a mint green pad on the counter and, half-annoyed at himself and half-gleeful at Steve’s probably reaction, Bucky pulls off a Post-It and adheres it to the fridge.

_enjoy your day off. Move in with me._

Bucky gets home that night and Steve is nowhere to be found. Nothing of Steve’s is in the apartment and, if Bucky’s not mistaken, there are actually things of Steve’s missing. His shoulders slump and he goes into the kitchen. He tells himself it’s for a beer, but in reality he needs to check the Post-It.

_what?!?!?!_

_Move in. live with me. Bring your condoms and your post-its. I want to come home to you._

He takes his beer to the couch and drinks it and then another. Finally, he sighs and gets up to go to bed. He drops the bottles in the recycling, but he doesn’t even try to lie to himself. He’s going in to look at the Post-It note, even though there’s absolutely no way Steve could have replied.

Doesn’t mean he’s not disappointment when there’s no response.

**

_bring my condoms and my post-its. You’re really wooing the hell out of me, Barnes._

Bucky breathes a sigh of relief when he comes home after the second day and Steve’s handwriting is on the Post-It. He’s still not _there_, and it isn’t actually a yes, but it’s something.

_come live with me and be my love, and we will all the pleasures prove._

_Shakespeare, huh? Guess it could have been a limerick_

_There once was a man they called bucky_  
And many folks said he was lucky  
He asked steve to move in  
Steve said yes with a grin  
Signed the lease and then he said ‘fuck me’ 

That says unanswered for a couple of days, even though Steve does come over finally, curling up under Bucky’s arm as they watch TV. He stays the night, but is gone whenever Bucky wakes up. They don’t talk about it, like words would land too heavy on this strange, tenuous balance they have going on.

The third day, Bucky wakes up and goes to get coffee. Steve’s already made it, so Bucky just has to pour himself a cup. He takes a glance at the fridge, and there’s a yellow note below the green one.

_i suppose_

**

_happy anniversary. Don’t make plans._

_I remembered. I hope you didn’t leave this as a reminder because you thought I forgot._

_I left it to tell you not to make plans._

Steve glares at Bucky as he sits down, and Bucky immediately gets up and goes into the kitchen to look at Steve’s reply.

:P

_eloquent_

_I’m a man of action, Stevie_

_You’re a dorky asshole_

_Yeah, well. You ♥ ed me first._

_Obviously I need to get better taste_

_I’ll give you a taste, baby._

He hears Steve groan, and he can’t help smiling. When Steve comes back, he lobs a bottle of water at Bucky and flumps onto the couch, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the movie. Bucky gets up – and really, they have to watch movies at least twice when they get like this, since neither of them actually sit through the whole thing – and goes to see what Steve wrote.

_nevermind. No anniversary plans. I want a boyfriend divorce._

_Nope. Sorry. Stuck with me. Mine forever. Should I dress up?_

Steve takes him to dinner and an Elton John concert.

And Bucky does, in fact, give him a taste.

**  
It’s been two years, and they’ve gone to Costco three times to buy giant packs of Post-its, not to mention the smaller packs they’ve bought when they run out between Costco trips. Steve’s never admitted it, but Bucky knows that he keeps the ones that are more than a grocery list or a reminder to do something. There are still ones spread out on the fridge – little drawings that Steve’s done of Bucky and other things. The original drawing that started it all had a place of honor on the freezer door until Bucky took it down, framed it, and put it in their bedroom along with the stick figure drawing Bucky had given Steve in return.

Bucky is not an artist.

Steve’s been gone for a couple of days, going on a trip with one of his friends down to DC to see some exhibit at the Smithsonian, so the note Bucky left on the fridge is still there, unanswered.

_have we bought stock in 3M?_

He texts the question to Steve. It’s just a few minutes later that he gets a response.

_…no?_

No one can prove it’s him who writes Steve’s answer on the Post-It. But if it’s not on there, his answer doesn’t make any sense.

_are you sure?_

**

It’s three in the morning when Bucky gets home. Steve’s in bed with the cat – Bucky refuses to call it their cat. Bucky had named it Stray just because of the look Steve gave him when he did. They’re both sound asleep. Bucky sighs and rubs the back of his neck.

He drops his keys in the dish on the counter and opens the refrigerator. The light inside shines on a note.

_happy birthday. There’s cake in the fridge. Missed you. Wake me up when you get home._

Bucky yawns and pulls out the cake, shoving two bites into his mouth. He puts the rest of it back and picks up the pen.

_I hope you got me what I wanted_

He goes into the bedroom, grabs the cat and settles her in her bed, then climbs onto the mattress, leaning down and nuzzling the nape of Steve’s neck. He smells like chocolate. Steve doesn’t seem to mind.

When Bucky wakes up the next morning, Steve’s gone, but there’s a bag with a bow on it filled with dark chocolate sea-salt cashews on the counter and Steve’s writing on the fridge.

_well, I’m hoping I was what you wanted, but just in case, I got you a present too_

**

It’s their fourth anniversary and they’re just about to leave the apartment for the last time. The house they bought isn’t much, but it’s perfect for the two of them and the three cats (which Bucky insists they do not have). Steve’s double checking the cabinets to make sure they’ve got everything. Bucky leans on the fridge until Steve turns around.

Straightening, he puts a Post-It on the fridge, uncaps the pen, and writes slowly. Steve frowns and watches him, only stepping up to the fridge when Bucky’s done. He hands Steve then pen then moves away.

_marry me?_

Steve lets out a shaky breath, and his hand trembles as he lifts the pen to the paper. He darts a quick glance at Bucky, and it gives absolutely nothing away. But he turns back to the Post-It and writes.

_yes_


End file.
